1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to workflow and process modeling systems for business planning, more specifically, visually oriented modeling.
2. Related Art
Modeling languages for describing process or information flow are known in the art. One example is Unified Modeling Language (UML) used in computer-aided software engineering (CASE). Visual BML is specifically designed to model business logic, not program logic.
Furthermore, modeling systems in the prior art typically require a computer system to represent the process modeled and to show dependencies and information flows. These models are large, complex, and not often adaptable to changes. For example, a small change in one part of the flow chart often throws off the time sequence of events and data dependencies elsewhere.
Prior art models are also presented in a time sequence, as in a flow chart, with a defined "beginning" and a certain "end." Actual business processes, such as a response to a phone call from a customer requesting information or a service, do not effectively operate in a strict time sequence because the request (or "input" from the customer) is not readily predictable as to what it will be or when it will come in. Such business processes are commonly known as event-driven processes; the processing in response to an event is referred to as "event-driven processing."
What is needed, and contemplated herein, is a method of representing a concrete business process in terms usable and understandable without a computer. Furthermore, such a method must model multiple potential branches based on unpredictable, non-time-sequenced inputs. This modeling must also be readily adjustable to tailor individual planned responses without disturbing the overall model.